Netflix eyes U.S. rights to ‘Borgia’

Tom Fontana series sold to 45 territories

Netflix is in negotiations to acquire U.S. rights to the 12-seg TV series “Borgia,” created by Tom Fontana.

Deal’s value runs to “several million” dollars, according to the website of Gallic paybox Canal Plus, a key “Borgia” financier.

A high-end historical series for Europe, the €25 million ($35 million) “Borgia” is produced by Lagardere Entertainment’s Atlantique Prods. in France and co-produced by Eos, part of Mojto’s Beta Film, as well as Prague’s Etic. “Borgia” world sales are handled by Jan Mojto’s Munich-based Beta Film.

With four episodes helmed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (“The Downfall”), “Borgia” was commissioned and co-developed by Canal Plus, which will air the series in October. Skein stars John Doman (“The Wire”) as Rodrigo Borgia/Pope Alexander VI; Brit actor Marc Ryder as his son, Cesare; and Isolda Dychauk as daughter Lucrezia.

The Netflix pact adds to around 45 territory sales deals for “Borgia.” Other buyers include Italy’s Sky Italia, German pubcaster ZDF and HBO Latin America.

The first two episodes of “Borgia” have aired on Sky Italia to boffo 30%-plus market shares.